As part of an eye examination, your Optometrist will discuss general self-care advice and OTC medications available. With help from one of the practice’s ocular hygienists, we will ensure you are comfortable cleaning and caring for your lids and lashes, as well as instilling drops safely and appropriately.

For those patients that remain symptomatic after Stage 1 treatments, there is the option to return for a more in-depth assessment, using our state-of-the-art TERA dry eye imaging equipment. Stage 2 investigations include: NON-INVASIVE TEAR BREAK-UP TIME (NIBUT): Automated capture of tear film stability for dry eye screening and diagnosis. MEIBOMIAN GLAND IMAGING AND ANALYSIS: Visualizes and evaluates meibomian gland structure and loss. HIGH-RESOLUTION COLOR IMAGING: Supports evaluation of blepharitis and conjunctival redness to aid diagnosis, documentation, and patient education. PATENTED DIFFUSED WHITE LIGHT: Provides uniform illumination that minimizes glare and enhances image clarity, delivering clear visualization of the tear film lipid layer. FLUORESCEIN IMAGING: Evaluates signs of ocular surface staining and enhances assessment of contact lens fit. VALIDATED CLINICAL GRADING SCALES: On-screen access to clinically validated scales (Efron, JENVIS, Meiboscale, Guillon) ensures consistent evaluation, documentation, and patient communication. INTEGRATED DRY EYE QUESTIONNAIRES (OSDI-6 and DEQ-5): Effectively capture patient-reported symptoms with validated dry eye questionnaires, including the OSDI-6 survey recommended by DEWS III guidelines. TEAR MENISCUS HEIGHT: Quantifies tear volume to identify drivers of dry eye disease and assess aqueous insufficiency. Further treatments may include: ·       ZEST – a manual and long-lasting deep clean of the lids and lashes for those patients with significant discomfort and inflammation as a result of stubborn blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and/or demodex. ·       NuLids Pro - a manual and long-lasting deep clean of the lids and lashes for those patients with mild-moderate inflammation and discomfort as a result of stubborn blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and/or demodex. ·       Prescription medications – specialist medications can be prescribed by our IP Optometrist, such as Ikervis and Softacort, to help with moderate to severe dry eyes. ·       Bandage contact lenses – a treatment option for patients with recurrent corneal erosion.

For those patients that remain symptomatic after Stages 1&2 treatments or would simply prefer to move straight to consultant-led care, there is the option to come back and see our resident Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Mr. Hussam Muntasser. Stage 3 treatments may include: Punctal occlusion – the puncta (tear ducts) are occluded with a removable silicon plug, keeping tears in the eyes for longer. Lacrimal syringing – for those patients that have watery eyes, but the cause is not dry eyes Prescription medications – specialist medications can be prescribed by our IP Optometrist, such as Ikervis and Softacort, to help with moderate to severe dry eyes. IPL – the gold standard in its class, the Lumenis IPL machine works to improve meibomian gland function and reduce inflammation. Click here to read more about this equipment. ZEST – a manual and long-lasting deep clean of the lids and lashes for those patients with significant discomfort and inflammation as a result of stubborn blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and/or demodex. Zest is used in conjunction with IPL therapy. Meibomian gland expression – usually done in conjunction with IPL, meibomian gland expression involves gently applying pressure to both the upper and lower eye lids to help unblock any occluded meibomian glands and restore the lipid tear film layer Combination therapy – this is a combination of any of the above treatments.